A tragic incident unfolded in the Zambian city of Livingstone on Wednesday when a US tourist was killed by an elephant, marking the second such fatal attack in the country this year. Local officials confirmed the death on Friday.
The victim, 64-year-old Juliana Gle Tourneau from New Mexico, was part of a group of tourists who had stopped near the Maramba Cultural Bridge due to traffic caused by a herd of elephants. According to Southern Province Police Commissioner Auxensio Daka, the elephant attacked their vehicle, throwing Tourneau out and subsequently trampling her. The attack occurred around 17:50 local time.
“Juliana Gle Tourneau, 64, of New Mexico, United States of America, died on Wednesday around 17:50 after being knocked from a parked vehicle which had stopped due to traffic caused by elephants around the Maramba Cultural Bridge,” Daka told the Zambian national broadcaster, ZNBC.
This incident follows another fatal attack earlier this year in March, when an American tourist was killed during a game drive in a Zambian national park. In that instance, an elephant charged a truck, flipping it over, resulting in the death of the tourist and injuries to five others.
Zambian authorities are urging tourists to exercise extreme caution when observing wildlife in the country.
Melissa Enoch
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